Putin Formally Terminates Plutonium Disposal Agreement with USA

President Vladimir Putin has signed a law denouncing the bilateral agreement with the United States on the disposal of plutonium that is “no longer required for defense purposes,” as well as its related protocols. The document was published on the official legal information portal.

Russia Ends 2000 Plutonium Disposal Pact

According to the law, Russia officially terminates the 2000 Agreement between the governments of Russia and the United States on the disposal and management of surplus weapons-grade plutonium, as well as cooperation in this area. The agreement covered plutonium deemed unnecessary for defense and established mechanisms for its safe destruction.

The State Duma approved the denunciation on October 8, and the decision was endorsed by the Federation Council on October 22.

Agreement Originally Signed to Reduce Nuclear Stockpiles

Both countries signed the accord in 2000 and ratified it in 2011. Under the deal, Russia and the US each pledged to dispose of 34 metric tons of weapons-grade plutonium that remained after cuts to their nuclear arsenals. The agreement recognized that this material was “no longer required for defense purposes.”

Suspension and Reasons Behind Withdrawal

In 2016, President Putin suspended the agreement through a presidential decree. The decision cited several reasons: US-imposed sanctions against Russia, Washington’s Ukraine Support Act, NATO’s eastward expansion, the buildup of American military forces in Eastern Europe, and US attempts to unilaterally alter the method of plutonium disposal without Moscow’s consent.

“The United States sought to change the procedure for plutonium disposal outlined in the agreement without securing Russia’s approval,”

the conclusion of the Federation Council’s international affairs committee stated.